Menu

Volume 52, No. 1

Search by author or title:

Highly pathogenic avian influenza resulted in unprecedented reproductive failure and movement behaviour by Northern Gannets.


Authors

NOAH G. CAREEN1, SYDNEY M. COLLINS2*, KYLE J. N. D’ENTREMONT2, JORDAN WIGHT3, ISHRAQ RAHMAN3, KATHRYN E. HARGAN3, ANDREW S. LANG3 & WILLIAM A. MONTEVECCHI1

1Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
2Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program, Departments of Psychology and Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada *(smcollins@mun.ca)
3Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Citation

CAREEN, N.G., COLLINS, S.M., D’ENTREMONT, K.J.N., WIGHT, J., RAHMAN, I., HARGAN, K.E., LANG, A.S. & MONTEVECCHI, W.A. 2024. Highly pathogenic avian influenza resulted in unprecedented reproductive failure and movement behaviour by Northern Gannets. . Marine Ornithology 52: 121 - 128
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.52.1.1566

Received 25 May 2023, accepted 16 October 2023

Date Published: 2024/04/15
Date Online: 2024/03/31
Key words: Morus bassanus, reproductive success, ocean climate change, biotelemetry, tracking

Abstract

In 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus resulted in mass mortality throughout seabird colonies in the North Atlantic Ocean. While mortalities and transmission of the virus are being documented, other effects are less understood. We documented nest abandonment and unprecedented reproductive failure by Northern Gannets Morus bassanus at Cape St. Mary's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, the species' southernmost colony. Reproductive success in 2022 was the lowest on record at 17%, which was likely a result of adults abandoning the nest and succumbing to avian influenza virus (AIV) infection. Following the AIV outbreak at Cape St. Mary's, we also documented extremely long foraging trips, including the second known instance of inter-colony movement by an adult Northern Gannet, who embarked on two trips to the gannet colony on Baccalieu Island. This inter-colony movement represents a possible means of viral transmission between colonies. The effects of HPAI may have been exacerbated as a result of heat stress during a marine heatwave, which coincided with the major outbreak at this colony. As this HPAI virus could continue to circulate in seabirds, ongoing monitoring of mortality and other indirect effects of AIV outbreaks are needed to inform future impacts.

References


ALLBROOK, D.L. & QUINN, J.L. 2020. The effectiveness of regulatory signs in controlling human behaviour and Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) disturbance during breeding: An experimental test. Journal for Nature Conservation 58: 125915. doi:10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125915

AVERY-GOMM, S., BARYCHKA, T., ENGLISH, M., ET AL. 2023. A comprehensive summary of wild bird mortalities in eastern Canada during the 2022 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak. Poster presented at the 71st Annual International Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association, 29 July-04 August, Athens, USA.

BARRILE, G.M., WALTERS, A., WEBSTER, M. & CHALFOUN, A.D. 2021. Informed breeding dispersal following stochastic changes to patch quality in a pond-breeding amphibian. Journal of Animal Ecology 90: 1878-1890. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.13503

BBC (BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION) NEWS. 2023. Bass Rock's gannet colony “recovering” after avian flu. London, UK: BBC News. [Accessed at https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-66120122 on 30 August 2023.]

BENNISON, A., BEARHOP, S., BODEY, T.W., ET AL. 2018. Search and foraging behaviors from movement data: A comparison of methods. Ecology and Evolution 8: 13-24. doi:10.1002/ece3.3593

BICKNELL, A.W.J., KNIGHT, M.E., BILTON, D.T., ET AL. 2014. Intercolony movement of pre-breeding seabirds over oceanic scales: Implications of cryptic age-classes for conservation and metapopulation dynamics. Diversity and Distributions 20: 160-168.

BIVAND, R.S., PEBESMA, E. & GÓMEZ-RUBIO, V. 2013. Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R, 2nd Edition. New York, USA: Springer.

BLAKE, J. 2006. Coyotes in Insular Newfoundland: Current Knowledge and Management of the Island's Newest Mammalian Predator. St. John's, Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation, Wildlife Division.

CALIENDO, V., LEWIS, N.S., POHLMANN, A., ET AL. 2022. Transatlantic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wild birds from Europe to North America in 2021. Scientific Reports 12: 11729. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-13447-z

CAMPHUYSEN, K. & GEAR, S. 2022. Great Skuas and Northern Gannets on Foula, summer 2022 - an unprecedented, H5N1 related massacre. Dataset. Texel, The Netherlands: Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee (NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research). doi:10.25850/nioz/7b.b.gd

CFIA NEOC GIS SERVICES (CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY, NATIONAL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM SERVICES). 2023. High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in Wildlife. Ottawa, Canada: CFIA. [Accessed at https://cfia-ncr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/89c779e98cdf492c899df23e1c38fdbc on 30 August 2023.]

CHAMPOUX, L., RAIL, J.-F. & LAVOIE, R.A. 2017. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and flame retardants in Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) eggs from Bonaventure Island, Gulf of St. Lawrence, 1994-2014. Environmental Pollution 222: 600-608. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.09.055

CHAPDELAINE, G., LAPORTE, P. & NETTLESHIP, D.N. 1987. Population, productivity and DDT contamination trends of Northern Gannets (Sula bassanus) at Bonaventure Island, Quebec, 1967-1984. Canadian Journal of Zoology 65: 2922-2926. doi:10.1139/z87-443

COLLINS, S.M., HEDD, A., FIFIELD, D.A., WILSON, D.R. & MONTEVECCHI, W.A. 2022. Foraging paths of breeding Leach's Storm-Petrels in relation to offshore oil platforms, breeding stage, and year. Frontiers in Marine Science 9: 816659. doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.816659

CWHC (CANADIAN WILDLIFE HEALTH COOPERATIVE). 2023. Inter-agency wild bird avian influenza survey update: A report of samples collected and tested as of April 10, 2023. Saskatoon, Canada: CWHC.

DISTILLER, G., ALTWEGG, R., CRAWFORD, R.J.M., KLAGES, N.T.W. & BARHAM, B. 2012. Factors affecting adult survival and inter-colony movement at the three South African colonies of Cape Gannet. Marine Ecology Progress Series 461: 245-255. doi:10.3354/meps09807

D'ENTREMONT, K.J.N., DAVOREN, G.K., WALSH, C.J., WILHELM, S.I. & MONTEVECCHI, W.A. 2022a. Intra- and inter-annual shifts in foraging tactics by parental Northern Gannets Morus bassanus indicate changing prey fields. Marine Ecology Progress Series 698: 155-170. doi:10.3354/meps14164

D'ENTREMONT, K.J.N., GUZZWELL, L.M., WILHELM, S.I., ET AL. 2022b. Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) breeding at their southern limit struggle with prey shortages as a result of warming waters. ICES Journal of Marine Science 79: 50-60. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsab240

D'ENTREMONT, K.J.N. & MONTEVECCHI, W.A. 2022. Nocturnal flight activity by Northern Gannets Morus bassanus in response to predator disturbance. Marine Ornithology 50: 159-163.

EFSA (EUROPEAN FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY), EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL, EUROPEAN UNION REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA, ET AL. 2023. Scientific report: Avian influenza overview March-April 2023. EFSA Journal 21: 8039. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8039

FALCHIERI, M., REID, S.M., ROSS, C.S., ET AL. 2022. Shift in HPAI infection dynamics causes significant losses in seabird populations across Great Britain. Veterinary Record 191: 271-316. doi:10.1002/vetr.2311

FAO (FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS). 2023. Global AIV with Zoonotic Potential. Animal Health. Rome, Italy: FAO. [Accessed at https://www.fao.org/animal-health/situation-updates/global-aiv-with-zoonotic-potential/en on 27 July 2023.]

HAMMOUDA, A., PEARCE-DUVET, J., BOULINIER, T. & SELMI, S. 2014. Egg sampling as a possible alternative to blood sampling when monitoring the exposure of Yellow-legged Gulls (Larus michahellis) to avian influenza viruses. Avian Pathology 43: 547-551. doi:10.1080/03079457.2014.972340

HANSSEN, S.A. 2006. Costs of an immune challenge and terminal investment in a long-lived bird. Ecology 87: 2440-2446. doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2006)87[2440:COAICA]2.0.CO;2

JEGLINSKI, J., LANE, J., VOTIER, S., ET AL. 2024. HPAIV outbreak triggers short-term colony connectivity in a seabird metapopulation. Scientific Reports 41: 3126. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-53550-x

JEGLINSKI, J.W.E., WANLESS, S., MURRAY, S., ET AL. 2023. Metapopulation regulation acts at multiple spatial scales: Insights from a century of seabird colony census data. Ecological Monographs 93: e1569. doi:10.1002/ecm.1569

KENT, C.M., RAMEY, A.M., ACKERMAN, J.T., ET AL. 2022. Spatiotemporal changes in influenza A virus prevalence among wild waterfowl inhabiting the continental United States throughout the annual cycle. Scientific Reports 12: 13083. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17396-5

KIRKHAM, I.R. 1980. Chick development and parental care in the Northern Gannet. MSc thesis. St. John's, Canada: Memorial University of Newfoundland.

LANE, J.V., JEGLINSKI, J.W.E., AVERY-GOMM, S., ET AL. 2023. High pathogenicity avian influenza (H5N1) in Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus): Global spread, clinical signs, and demographic consequences. Ibis Advance publication online. doi:10.1111/ibi.13275

LANG, A.S., LEBARBENCHON, C., RAMEY, A.M., ROBERTSON, G.J., WALDENSTRÖM, J. & WILLE, M. 2016. Assessing the role of seabirds in the ecology of Influenza A Viruses. Avian Diseases 60: 378-386. doi:10.1637/11135-050815-RegR

LEWIS, S., HAMER, K.C., MONEY, L., GRIFFITHS, R., WANLESS, S. & SHERRATT, T.N. 2004. Brood neglect and contingent foraging behavior in a pelagic seabird. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 56: 81-88. doi:10.1007/s00265-004-0762-0

LIEW, P.K., ZULKIFLI, I., HAIR-BEJO, M., OMAR, A.R. & ISRAF, D.A. 2003. Effects of early age feed restriction and heat conditioning on heat shock protein 70 expression, resistance to infectious bursal disease, and growth in male broiler chickens subjected to heat stress. Poultry Science 82: 1879-1885. doi:10.1093/ps/82.12.1879

MCCLINTOCK, B.T. & MICHELOT, T. 2018. momentuHMM: R package for generalized hidden Markov models of animal movement. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 9: 1518-1530. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12995

MONTEVECCHI, W., POWER, K., WHITE, E., ET AL. 2019. Eastern coyote Canis latrans predation on adult and pre-fledgling Northern Gannets Morus bassanus nesting on mainland cliffs at Cape St. Mary's, Newfoundland, Canada. Marine Ornithology 47: 39-42.

MONTEVECCHI, W.A., REGULAR, P.M., RAIL, J.-F., ET AL. 2021. Ocean heat wave induces breeding failure at the southern breeding limit of the Northern Gannet Morus bassanus. Marine Ornithology 49: 71-78.

MOWBRAY, T.B. 2020. Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus), version 1.0. In: BILLERMAN, S.M. (Ed.) Birds of the World. Ithaca, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

NASA (NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION). 2023. Multi-scale Ultra-high Resolution (MUR) SST Analysis fv04.1, Global, 0.01°, 2002-present, Daily. Dataset MUR-JPL-L4-GLOB-v4.1. Washington, USA: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. [Accessed at https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/jplMURSST41.html on 14 Mar 2023.]

NEWELL, M., WANLESS, S., HARRIS, M.P. & DAUNT, F. 2015. Effects of an extreme weather event on seabird breeding success at a North Sea colony. Marine Ecology Progress Series 532: 257-268. doi:10.3354/meps11329

OLIVER, E.C.J., BURROWS, M.T., DONAT, M.G., ET AL. 2019. Projected marine heatwaves in the 21st century and the potential for ecological impact. Frontiers in Marine Science 6: 734.

PAWAR, S.S., BASAVARAJ, S., DHANSING, L.V., ET AL. 2016. Assessing and mitigating the impact of heat stress in poultry. Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences 4: 332-341. doi:10.14737/journal.aavs/2016/4.6.332.341

PIATT, J.F., PARRISH, J.K., RENNER, H.M., ET AL. 2020. Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of Common Murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016. PLoS One 15: e0226087. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0226087

R CORE TEAM. 2022. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: The R Foundation for Statistical Computing.

RAMEY, A.M., HILL, N.J., DELIBERTO, T.J., ET AL. 2022. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is an emerging disease threat to wild birds in North America. The Journal of Wildlife Management 88: e22171. doi:10.1002/jwmg.22171

SCHLEGEL, R.W. 2020. Marine Heatwave Tracker, version v1.0.1. Meyrin, Switzerland: European Organization for Nuclear Research. doi:10.5281/ZENODO.3787872

SHINI, S., HUFF, G.R., SHINI, A. & KAISER, P. 2010. Understanding stress-induced immunosuppression: Exploration of cytokine and chemokine gene profiles in chicken peripheral leukocytes. Poultry Science 89: 841-851. doi:10.3382/ps.2009-00483

SPACKMAN, E. (Ed.). 2020. Animal Influenza Virus: Methods and Protocols, 3rd Edition. New York, USA: Humana New York. doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-0346-8

SPACKMAN, E., SENNE, D.A., MYERS, T.J., ET AL. 2002. Development of a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assay for type A influenza virus and the avian H5 and H7 hemagglutinin subtypes. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 40: 3256-3260. doi:10.1128/jcm.40.9.3256-3260.2002

VOTIER, S.C., GRECIAN, W.J., PATRICK, S. & NEWTON, J. 2011. Inter-colony movements, at-sea behaviour and foraging in an immature seabird: Results from GPS-PPT tracking, radio-tracking and stable isotope analysis. Marine Biology 158: 355-362. doi:10.1007/s00227-010-1563-9

Search by author or title:

Browse previous volumes: